Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer

Liu, Feng; Zhang, Shengbing; Zhang, Jiale; Liu, Zhaolong; Chen, Yonghui; Bai, Shixun

doi:10.3390/pr13020535

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer

by

Feng Liu

¹,

Shengbing Zhang

¹,

Jiale Zhang

¹,

Zhaolong Liu

¹,

Yonghui Chen

¹ and

Shixun Bai

^2,*

¹

Research Institute of Exploration and Development, PetroChina Tuha Oilfield Company, Hami 839009, China

²

School of Petroleum, China University of Petroleum-Beijing at Karamay, No. 355, Anding Road, Karamay District, Karamay 834000, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Processes 2025, 13(2), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020535

Submission received: 6 January 2025 / Revised: 6 February 2025 / Accepted: 11 February 2025 / Published: 14 February 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Evaluation, Efficient Development, Seepage, and Simulation of Geo-Energy Resources)

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Abstract

Gas miscible flooding, especially CO₂ miscible flooding, is a key method for enhanced oil recovery. However, the high Minimum Miscibility Pressure (MMP) often makes true-miscible flooding impractical. A number of studies confirm the existence of a near-miscible region that also ensures high recovery. However, the exact boundary for near miscibility remains unclear, with various speculative definitions based on experimental data or by experience. In this work, a molecular-level understanding of miscibility and near miscibility and the role of the MMP reducer are achieved using the molecular dynamics method. It is found that the traditional criterion of interfacial tension being zero is not valid for the molecular dynamics method, and that the interaction energy between oil molecules suggests distinct boundary between near-miscibility and miscibility regimes. MMP reducers were found to bring the two regions closer in terms of energy, rather than actually reducing the MMP.

Keywords: molecular dynamics; miscibility; near miscibility; MMP reducer

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MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, F.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, J.; Liu, Z.; Chen, Y.; Bai, S. Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer. Processes 2025, 13, 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020535

AMA Style

Liu F, Zhang S, Zhang J, Liu Z, Chen Y, Bai S. Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer. Processes. 2025; 13(2):535. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020535

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Feng, Shengbing Zhang, Jiale Zhang, Zhaolong Liu, Yonghui Chen, and Shixun Bai. 2025. "Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer" Processes 13, no. 2: 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020535

APA Style

Liu, F., Zhang, S., Zhang, J., Liu, Z., Chen, Y., & Bai, S. (2025). Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer. Processes, 13(2), 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020535

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Molecular Dynamics Study on the Nature of near Miscibility and the Role of Minimum Miscibility Pressure Reducer

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